if Sekera + 8 for McBain +5 was what Carolina offered I think it also says that Darcy is happy with some combo of Ennis, Hodgson, Grigorenko, Girgenson is his projected top 2 pivots. We really could have used a Lindholm.... sigh. Funny me and my buddies were talking about how drafting 2 big defenders could have been a ploy to get Miller to resign. Guess not.

I liked Sekera but he never became the player I thought he would become. He looked good to us because he was being compared with some of the worst defence we have seen in years. Sekera could skate but he was no great shakes on the wall and had trouble clearing the front of the net. McBain is 6'2" 200 lbs. and shoots right. He is likely a throw in for evening out $ while Sabres got a centre who they hope is a Horvat/Lazar clone. I really do not know what to think--not gleeful, not horrified....

I don't mind this trade at all and have no idea why everyone is all up-in-arms over it.

Sekera isn't a cornerstone, he's a solid 2nd-pairing defenseman on a cup-contending team. Buffalo is not a cup-contending team and he won't be for a number of years. He was most-likely going to be gone by the time the Sabres made their run one way or another. Parting ways now or parting ways three years from now...what's the difference?

They got a once-promising young defenseman who could potentially turn things around and an extra 2nd round pick in exchange for a player who wasn't in their long-term plans. I liked Sekera as much as anyone, but we got solid value for him.

edit: And I don't hate that he wasn't traded for the 5th overall either. They paid for an extra roll of the dice in the 2nd round as opposed to moving up three spots. This isn't going to be their last top-10 pick guys, save the indignation for if we fail to address the top six over the next three years

I didn't want to move sekera for a move to #5 but if THIS was the other option I would have preferred lindholm + zadorov + McBain if sekera was getting moved no matter what.

I'm just going to pretend like we just traded for a "stafford". But that I mean someone we bought low on and hope we can get McBain back into form. In not gonna jump the gun but next year isn't looking good.

Well, I don't want to assume anything about the potential 1st rd deal with Carolina, but like most people here I REALLY wanted to acquire Monahan/Lindholm (leaning Monahan). I'll wait until something is confirmed in print or from Regier.

OTOH, I'm quite happy with the Risto/Zadorov twin tower manly lumberjack man combo. It shows a desire by the front office to get bigger and tougher, and that kind of means Sekera didn't fit. I don't know what to make of McBain, but he's a few years younger, cheaper and still an RFA after his contract expires next summer. Maybe he's the #6 or #7 man in place of Pardy/Sulzer. Adding a 2nd (Compher) might turn out to be worth it, but we just can't judge it for a few years.

The way to compare this deal is by what they would've gotten in the 1st had they done it.

Compare Compher, McBain, Risto

to

To Lindholm (or Monahan, if you're me), McBain

Question is whether Risto + Compher is > Lindholm/Monahan.

I think the answer is pretty CLEARLY Monahan or Lindhom would be the higher value, AINEC.

Which, to me, just shows sloppy asset management.

If in fact it was McBain and #5 for Sekera and #8, the Canes board would've had a nuclear meltdown after the way many were claiming only Myers + #8 would work, both on their boards and the main trade board. I kept debating them and it would've been almost enough sweet victory to make 2006 feel better, and I especially wanted Monahan. I won't criticize yet though because I need more confirmation (if it comes out).